Gwanghaegun
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Gwanghaegun or Prince Gwanghae (; 4 June 1575 – 7 August 1641), personal name Yi Hon (), was the 15th monarch of the
Joseon dynasty Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
of
Korea Korea is a peninsular region in East Asia consisting of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and smaller islands. Since the end of World War II in 1945, it has been politically Division of Korea, divided at or near the 38th parallel north, 3 ...
. As he was deposed in a ''
coup d'état A coup d'état (; ; ), or simply a coup , is typically an illegal and overt attempt by a military organization or other government elites to unseat an incumbent leadership. A self-coup is said to take place when a leader, having come to powe ...
'', he did not receive a
temple name Temple names are posthumous titles accorded to monarchs of the Sinosphere for the purpose of ancestor worship. The practice of honoring monarchs with temple names began during the Shang dynasty in China and had since been adopted by other dynas ...
.


Biography


Birth and background

Gwanghaegun was the second son of King Seonjo; born to Royal Noble Consort Gong, a concubine, who died a year after his birth. He had one older brother. When
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
invaded
Joseon Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...
to attack the
Ming Empire The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of China ruled by the Han people, ...
, he was installed as Crown Prince. When the king fled north to the border of Ming, he set up a branch court and fought defensive battles. During and after the Imjin Wars (1592–1598), despite being Crown Prince, he acted as the de facto ruler of the Joseon Dynasty in 1592, commanding battles and taking care of the reconstruction of the nation after the devastating wars, in the place of old and weak King Seonjo. Although it brought prestige to him, his position was still unstable. He had an elder but incompetent full-brother
Prince Imhae Prince Imhae (; 20 September 1572 – 3 June 1609; personal name Yi Jin, childhood name Yi Jin-Guk), was a Joseon Royal Prince as the eldest son of King Seonjo and the elder brother of King Gwanghae. He was known for such a violent and arrogant ...
() and a younger but legitimate half-brother Grand Prince Yeongchang (), who was supported by the Lesser Northerners faction. Fortunately for Gwanghae, King Seonjo's abrupt death made it impossible for his favorite son Yeongchang to succeed to the throne.


Violence of Greater Northerner faction

Before King Seonjo died in 1608, he named Prince Gwanghae as his official successor to the throne and ordered his advisers to make a royal document. However, Lyu Young-gyong of the Lesser Northerners faction hid the document and plotted to install Grand Prince Yeongchang as king, only to be found out by the head of the Great Northerners faction (), Jeong In-hong. Lyu was executed immediately. After the incident, Gwanghae tried to bring officials from various political and regional background to his court, but his plan was interrupted by Greater Northerners including
Yi I-cheom Yi or YI may refer to: Philosophic principle * Yi (philosophy) (义; 義, righteousness, justice) among the Three Fundamental Bonds and Five Constant Virtues Ethnic groups * Dongyi, the Eastern Yi, or Tung-yi (Chinese: , ''Yí''), ancient peo ...
and Jeong In-hong. Then, Greater Northerners began to take members of other political factions out of the government, especially Lesser Northerners. In 1613, the Greater Northerners moved against Grand Prince Yeongchang; his maternal grandfather, Kim Je-nam, along with his maternal uncles, was found guilty of treason and executed, while Yeongchang was sent into exile, where he too was executed in 1614. At the same time, Greater Northerners suppressed the Lesser Northerners. In 1618, with the help of Court Lady Kim, Grand Prince Yeongchang's mother, Queen Inmok, was stripped of her title and imprisoned along with his younger half-sister, Princess Jeongmyeong. Gwanghae had no power to stop this even though he was the official head of the government.


Achievements

Despite his poor reputation after his death, he was a talented and pragmatic politician. He endeavored to restore the country and sponsored the restoration of documents. As a part of reconstruction, he revised land ordinance and redistributed land to the people; he also ordered the rebuilding of
Changdeokgung Changdeokgung () is a former royal palace in Seoul, South Korea. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and a Historic Sites (South Korea), Historic Site of South Korea, it is among the best preserved of all Korean palaces. It and its neighboring palace Cha ...
along with several other palaces. Additionally, he was responsible for the reintroduction of the '' hopae'' identification system after a long period of disuse. In foreign affairs he sought a balance between the Ming Empire and the
Manchus The Manchus (; ) are a Tungusic East Asian ethnic group native to Manchuria in Northeast Asia. They are an officially recognized ethnic minority in China and the people from whom Manchuria derives its name. The Later Jin (1616–1636) an ...
. Since he realized Joseon was unable to compete with Manchu military power, he tried to maintain friendly relationship with the Manchus while the kingdom was still under the
suzerainty A suzerain (, from Old French "above" + "supreme, chief") is a person, state (polity)">state or polity who has supremacy and dominant influence over the foreign policy">polity.html" ;"title="state (polity)">state or polity">state (polity)">st ...
of Ming, which angered the Ming and dogmatic
Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, religion, theory of government, or way of life. Founded by Confucius ...
Koreans. The critically worsened Manchu-Ming relationship forced him to send ten thousand soldiers to aid Ming in 1619. However, the Battle of Sarhū ended in Manchu's overwhelming victory. The Korean General Gang Hong-rip lost two-thirds of his troops and surrendered to
Nurhaci Nurhaci (14 May 1559 – 30 September 1626), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Qing, was the founding khan of the Jurchen people, Jurchen-led Later Jin (1616–1636), Later Jin dynasty. As the leader of the House of Aisin-Gi ...
. Gwanghaegun negotiated independently for peace with the Manchus and managed to avoid another war. He also restored diplomatic relationship with Japan in 1609 when he reopened trade with Japan through Treaty of Giyu, and sent his ambassadors to Japan in 1617. In the domestic sphere, Gwanghaegun implemented the Daedong law, which let his subjects pay their taxes more easily. However, this law was activated only in
Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level ''special city'' since 1946. Incheon, ...
, which was the largest granary zone at that time, and it took a century for the law to be extended across the whole kingdom. He encouraged publishing in order to accelerate reconstruction and to restore the kingdom's former prosperity. Many books were written during his reign, including the medical book Dongui Bogam, and several historical records were rewritten in this period. In 1616, tobacco was first introduced to Korea and it soon became popular amongst the Korean aristocracy.


Dethronement and later life

On April 11, 1623, Gwanghaegun was deposed in a coup by the Westerners faction that was crucially justified by Queen Inmok who was freed from prison during the coup. The coup directed by Kim Yu took place at night, Gwanghaegun fled but was captured later. He was confined first on
Ganghwa Island Ganghwa Island (), also Ganghwado, is an island in Ganghwa County, Incheon, South Korea. It is in the Yellow Sea and in an estuary of the Han River. The island is separated from Gimpo (on the South Korean mainland) by a narrow channel spanned ...
and then on
Jeju Island Jeju Island (Jeju language, Jeju/) is South Korea's largest island, covering an area of , which is 1.83% of the total area of the country. Alongside outlying islands, it is part of Jeju Province and makes up the majority of the province. The i ...
, where he died in 1641. He does not have a royal mausoleum like the other Joseon rulers. His and Lady Ryu's remains were buried at a comparatively humble site in
Namyangju Namyangju (; ) is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. To the east is Gapyeong County, to the west is Guri, and to the north is Pocheon. Namyangju was originally a southern part of Yangju-gun, but was separated into Namyangju-gun in April ...
in
Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi Province (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Seoul, the nation's largest city and capital, is in the heart of the area but has been separately administered as a provincial-level ''special city'' since 1946. Incheon, ...
. The Westerners faction installed Neungyanggun as the sixteenth king Injo who promulgated pro-Ming and anti-Manchu policies, which resulted in two subsequent Manchu invasions.


Legacy

Gwanghaegun is one of only two deposed kings who were not restored and given a temple name (the other one being
Yeonsangun Yeonsangun or Prince Yeonsan (; 23 November 1476 – 20 November 1506), personal name Yi Yung (), was the 10th monarch of the Joseon dynasty of Korea. Often considered the worst tyrant in Joseon's history and perhaps all Korean history, he is ...
). He remains a polarizing figure among historians. Historian Oh Hang-nyeong strongly criticized the king, writing that he "practically used up the country's entire budget solely for the construction of palaces, his policies were flawed and moreover, he was absent in many of the cabinet meetings. Gwanghaegun failed to communicate with his servants and with his people." However, historian Lee Duk-il praised the king, did that he "indeed made some political errors, but during his reign, the famous oriental medical book 'Donguibogam' was published and he created the tax system 'Daedong law' that was enforced for the benefit of the people." Despite the controversy over the king's handling of domestic policies, most historians have a positive assessment of Gwanghae's acts regarding foreign affairs.


Family

* Father: King Seonjo of Joseon (; 26 November 1552 – 16 March 1608) ** Grandfather: Grand Internal Prince Deokheung (; 2 April 1530 – 14 June 1559) ** Grandmother: Grand Internal Princess Consort Hadong of the Hadong Jeong clan (; 23 September 1522 – 24 June 1567) * Mother: Royal Noble Consort Gong of the Gimhae Kim clan (; 16 November 1553 – 13 June 1577) ** Grandfather: Kim Hui-cheol (; 15 July 1519 – 14 August 1596) ** Grandmother: Lady Gwon of the Andong Gwon clan (; 1525–?) Consort(s) and their respective issue # Deposed Queen Yu of the Munhwa Yu clan (; 15 August 1576 – 31 October 1623) ## ''First son'' (1592) ## ''Second son'' (1596) ## Deposed Crown Prince Yi Ji (; 31 December 1598 – 22 July 1623), third son ## ''Fourth son'' (1605–1610) # Royal Noble Consort Su of the Yangcheon Heo clan (; 1595–1623) # Royal Consort Gwi-in of the Papyeong Yun clan (; 1602 – 14 March 1623) ## Princess Hwain (; 1619–1664), first daughter # Royal Consort So-ui of the Pungsan Hong clan (; 1584–1623) # Royal Consort So-ui of the Andong Gwon clan (; 1586–1624) # Royal Consort Suk-ui of the Wonju Won clan (; 1588–?) # Royal Consort So-yong of the Dongnae Jeong clan (; 1592–1623) # Royal Consort So-yong of the Pungcheon Im clan (; 1598–1628) # Royal Consort So-won of the Yeongsan Shin clan (; 1594–?) # Royal Consort Suk-won of the Han clan (; 1585–?) # Court Lady Kim (; 1584–1623) # Court Lady Yi (; 1585–?) # Court Lady Choe (; 1585–?) # Court Lady Jo of the Hanyang Jo clan (; 1596–?) # Court Lady Byeon of the Wonju Byeon clan (; 1585–?)


In popular culture


Film and television

*Portrayed by Kim Kyu-chul in the 1995 TV Series '' West Palace''. *Portrayed by Lee Ho-seong in the 2008 TV series '' Tamra, the Island''. *Portrayed by Kim Seung-soo in the 1999–2000 TV series '' Hur Jun''. *Portrayed by Ji Sung in the 2003 TV series ''The King's Woman''. *Portrayed by Lee In in the 2004–2005 TV series ''
Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin ''Immortal Admiral Yi Sun-sin'' (; lit. "The Immortal Yi Sun-sin") is a South Korean television series based on the life of Yi Sun-sin, a Korean admiral famed for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Imjin war in the Joseon period ...
''. *Portrayed by Jo Hee-bong in the 2008 TV series '' Hong Gil-dong''. *Portrayed by
Lee Byung-hun Lee Byung-hun (; born July 12, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He has received acclaim for his work in a wide range of genres, most notably '' Joint Security Area'' (2000); '' A Bittersweet Life'' (2005); '' The Good, the Bad, the Weird'' (2008) ...
in the 2012 film '' Masquerade''. *Portrayed by Lee Sang-yoon in the 2013 TV series ''
Goddess of Fire ''Goddess of Fire'' (; lit. ''Goddess of Fire, Jung Yi'') is a 2013 South Korean television series starring Moon Geun-young, Lee Sang-yoon, Kim Bum, Park Gun-hyung, Seo Hyun-jin, Jun Kwang-ryul, Jeong Bo-seok, Byun Hee-bong, Han Go-eun, a ...
''. *Portrayed by In Gyo-jin in the MBC TV series ''
Hur Jun, The Original Story ''Hur Jun, The Original Story'' () is a 2013 South Korean television series about the life of Heo Jun, a commoner who rose up the ranks to become a royal physician in Joseon (he used the pen name "Guam"). It aired on MBC from March 18 to Septemb ...
''. *Portrayed by Seo In-guk in the 2014 TV series '' The King's Face''. *Portrayed by
Cha Seung-won Cha Seung-won (; born June 7, 1970) is a South Korean actor, who began his career as an in-demand model (person), fashion model in the 1990s. Cha achieved stardom through the hit comedy films ''Kick the Moon'' (2001), ''Jail Breakers'' (2002), ' ...
and Lee Tae-hwan in the 2015 MBC TV series '' Splendid Politics''. *Portrayed by
Noh Young-hak Noh Young-hak (born April 1, 1993) is a South Korean actor. He began his career as a child actor, and has since appeared in several Korean drama, television series. Filmography Film Television series Web Awards and nominations Reference ...
in the 2013 TV series ''
Goddess of Fire ''Goddess of Fire'' (; lit. ''Goddess of Fire, Jung Yi'') is a 2013 South Korean television series starring Moon Geun-young, Lee Sang-yoon, Kim Bum, Park Gun-hyung, Seo Hyun-jin, Jun Kwang-ryul, Jeong Bo-seok, Byun Hee-bong, Han Go-eun, a ...
'' (young version) and 2015 TV series '' The Jingbirok: A Memoir of Imjin War''. *Portrayed by Yeo Jin-goo in the 2017 film '' Warriors of the Dawn'' and the 2019 tv series '' The Crowned Clown''. *Portrayed by
Jung Joon-ho Jung Joon-ho (; born November 9, 1969) is a South Korean actor. He first gained fame in the television series ''Women Like You'' (2000). He is best known for the films ''My Boss, My Hero'' (2001) and its My Boss, My Teacher, 2006 sequel, ''Marry ...
in the 2019 TV series '' The Tale of Nokdu''. *Portrayed by Jang Hyun-sung in the 2020 film '' The Swordsman''. *Portrayed by Kim Tae-woo in the 2021 MBN TV Series '' Bossam: Steal the Fate''. *Portrayed by Choi Won-myeong in the 2025 TV series '' Heo's Diner''.


Music

* Referenced in rapper Agust D's 2020 regnal march inspired Daechwita. Both the song's lyrics and accompanying Lumpens music video draw further from the 2012 film ''Masquerade'' with Agust D portraying a scarred tyrant threatened by the arrival of his modern era doppelganger.


Literature

*''Gwanghae's Lover'', a 2013 novel written by Euodia. Originally posted on web portal
Naver Naver (; stylized as NAVER) is a South Korean online platform operated by the Naver Corporation. The company's products include a search engine, email hosting, blogs, maps, and mobile payment. History Naver was the first Korean web provide ...
, it is a love story about Gwanghae and a
time travel Time travel is the hypothetical activity of traveling into the past or future. Time travel is a concept in philosophy and fiction, particularly science fiction. In fiction, time travel is typically achieved through the use of a device known a ...
ing high school girl.


See also

*
List of monarchs of Korea This is a list of monarchs of Korea, arranged by dynasty. Names are romanized according to the South Korean Revised Romanization of Korean. McCune–Reischauer romanizations may be found at the articles about the individual monarchs. Gojoseon G ...


Notes


References

* {{Authority control 1575 births 1641 deaths Leaders ousted by a coup 17th-century Korean monarchs 16th-century Korean monarchs Regents of Korea Dethroned monarchs